# US 12,181,770 B2 · Multiple air bridge electro-optic modulator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,770 B2 - Document ID: US12181770B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/657,513 - Filed: 2022-03-31 - Published: 2023-08-24 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2022-01-24 - Assignees: Lumentum Operations LLC - Applicants: Lumentum Operations LLC - Inventors: Marco Villa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181770B2 ## CPC - G02F 1/2255: {controlled by a high-frequency electromagnetic component in an electric waveguide structure} - G02F 1/0356: {controlled by a high-frequency electromagnetic wave component in an electric waveguide structure} - G02F 1/212: {Mach-Zehnder type} - G02F 1/225: in an optical waveguide structure - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS ## Abstract In some implementations, an electro-optic modulator may include a waveguide to propagate an optical signal in a direction of propagation. The electro-optic modulator may include a signal electrode, associated with the waveguides, to modulate the optical signal. The signal electrode may include a base structure. The signal electrode may include a loading line structure comprising one or more segments, where a segment, of the one or more segments, connects to the base structure via a plurality of electrically-conductive bridges. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electro-optic modulator, comprising: one or more optical waveguides to propagate one or more optical signals in a direction of propagation, one or more signal electrodes, associated with the one or more optical waveguides, to propagate a traveling wave in order to modulate the one or more optical signals through electro-optic interaction, wherein a signal electrode, of the one or more signal electrodes, includes a segmented loading line that covers a portion of an optical waveguide of the one or more optical waveguides, wherein a segment, of the segmented loading line, connects to the signal electrode via a plurality of bridges, and wherein respective positions or geometries of the plurality of bridges are associated with a microwave refractive index of the traveling wave propagating through the one or more signal electrodes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electro-optic modulator of claim 1, wherein the plurality of bridges comprises two bridges. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electro-optic modulator of claim 1, wherein the plurality of bridges comprises more than two bridges. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electro-optic modulator of claim 1, wherein a first bridge, of the plurality of bridges, is disposed a first distance from a first end of the segment and a second bridge, of the plurality of bridges is disposed a second distance from a second end of the segment, wherein the first distance and the second distance are a common distance. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electro-optic modulator of claim 1, wherein a first bridge, of the plurality of bridges, is disposed a first distance from a first end of the segment and a second bridge, of the plurality of bridges is disposed a second distance from a second end of the segment, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electro-optic modulator of claim 1, wherein at least one bridge, of the plurality of bridges, is disposed at an end of the segment. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electro-optic modulator of claim 1, wherein each other segment, of the segmented loading line, connects to the signal electrode via a respective single bridge. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electro-optic modulator of claim 1, wherein at least one other segment, of the segmented loading line, connects to the signal electrode via another plurality of bridges. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electro-optic modulator of claim 1, wherein the segment is associated with a length and is associated with a period relative to one or more other segments, and wherein an operating frequency of the electro-optic modulator is associated with the length and the period. ### Claim 10 An electro-optic modulator, comprising: a waveguide to propagate an optical signal in a direction of propagation, a signal electrode, associated with the waveguide, to modulate the optical signal, wherein the signal electrode includes: a base structure, a loading line structure comprising one or more segments, wherein a segment, of the one or more segments, connects to the base structure via a plurality of electrically-conductive bridges, and wherein respective positions or geometries of the plurality of electrically-conductive bridges are associated with a microwave refractive index of a traveling wave propagating through the signal electrode. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The electro-optic modulator of claim 10, wherein a position of a first electrically-conductive bridge, of the plurality of electrically-conductive bridges, relative to a position of a second electrically-conductive bridge, of the plurality of electrically-conductive bridges, is associated with an electro-optic bandwidth of the electro-optic modulator. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The electro-optic modulator of claim 10, wherein a position of an electrically-conductive bridge, of the plurality of electrically-conductive bridges, on the segment is associated with an electro-optic bandwidth of the electro-optic modulator. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The electro-optic modulator of claim 10, wherein a length of an electrically-conductive bridge, of the plurality of electrically-conductive bridges, is associated with an electro-optic bandwidth of the electro-optic modulator. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The electro-optic modulator of claim 10, wherein the signal electrode is configured to: propagate a modulation signal in the direction of propagation. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The electro-optic modulator of claim 10, wherein the plurality of electrically-conductive bridges comprises two or more electrically-conductive bridges. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The electro-optic modulator of claim 10, wherein the segment is separated from the base structure by an air gap, and wherein the plurality of electrically-conductive bridges span the air gap. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The electro-optic modulator of claim 10, wherein a first segment, of the one or more segments, is separated from a second segment, of the one or more segments, by a gap. ### Claim 18 An electro-optic modulator, comprising: an optical waveguide to propagate one or more optical signals in a direction of propagation, a signal electrode, associated with the optical waveguide, to propagate a modulation signal in the direction of propagation in order to modulate the one or more optical signals through electro-optic interaction, wherein the signal electrode includes a segmented loading line that covers a portion of the optical waveguide, wherein a segment, of the segmented loading line, connects to the signal electrode via a first bridge and a second bridge, and wherein respective positions or geometries of the first bridge and the second bridge are associated with a microwave refractive index of the modulation signal propagating through the signal electrode. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The electro-optic modulator of claim 18, wherein the first bridge is disposed a first distance from a first end of the segment and the second bridge is disposed a second distance from a second end of the segment, wherein the first distance and the second distance are a common distance. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The electro-optic modulator of claim 18, wherein the first bridge is disposed a first distance from a first end of the segment and the second bridge is disposed a second distance from a second end of the segment, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.